Reopening Brussels Airport after the 22/03/2016 terror attacks

[Kris]

At our company, travel to and from BRU is also halted for the time being due to these ridiculous "safety" checks. We used to fly out of BRU more then 1000 times yearly with all the colleagues. 85% of our travel is now through DUS as most of us are living at the eastern part of Belgium.
I personally flew last week tuesday from DUS to Linate. 1h10 driving time, from parking to gate 40 minutes. Driving to BRU would take me about an hour without traffic.
We will offcourse using BRU again when these "checks" have stopped. Imagine standing in a queue for 30+ minutes in the rain outside and paying 30 euro for that ...
But again, when they find their common sense back, we will immediately use BRU again.

[Apuneger]

As already mentioned before, I also hope that people will

I would even go one step further. Why are you exporting our jobs to Holland, France or Germany? Our economy has been severely hit by the attacks and we need to restore it ASAP. If Belgians don't help themselves, who will?

Well-said, Andre!

On a lighter note, at least it's good to see that, while people do mind standing outside for 30 minutes for a security check, they obviously don't mind sitting inside a plane that's queueing its way to the Polderbaan for 30 minutes

Best regards,
Ivan

[BRU]

As already mentioned before, I also hope that people will

I would even go one step further. Why are you exporting our jobs to Holland, France or Germany? Our economy has been severely hit by the attacks and we need to restore it ASAP. If Belgians don't help themselves, who will?

Well-said, Andre!

On a lighter note, at least it's good to see that, while people do mind standing outside for 30 minutes for a security check, they obviously don't mind sitting inside a plane that's queueing its way to the Polderbaan for 30 minutes

Best regards,
Ivan

Well said, Ivan !!

[chineseboy]

can anyone tell me the sense of the securitychecks before the airport checking a elderly couple with their 2 grandchildren on the backseat?

while other people can travel to the airport with the Bus or the train where's no securitycheckpoint?

another Belgian joke?

[Homo Aeroportus]

can anyone tell me the sense of the securitychecks before the airport checking a elderly couple with their 2 grandchildren on the backseat?

...

Yes I can.
Exactly the same sense (logic?) as grabbing a half-full bottle of water from the hands of a mom with a 6 month baby.
You do this on grounds of security as it may be an attempt to bring an explosive device on board an aircraft. I can buy that.
Then you throw the bottle in a bin behind you and everybody is now safe.
What? If you think it is a bomb you should evacuate the airport and call the SEDEE/DOVO, right?
Well, that's not described in the rules of engagement, they just told me to take that out.

Security is a much more complex matter, agree with you.

H.A.

[Poiu]

Exactly the same sense (logic?) as grabbing a half-full bottle of water from the hands of a mom with a 6 month baby.
You do this on grounds of security as it may be an attempt to bring an explosive device on board an aircraft. I can buy that.
Then you throw the bottle in a bin behind you and everybody is now safe.
What? If you think it is a bomb you should evacuate the airport and call the SEDEE/DOVO, right?
Well, that's not described in the rules of engagement, they just told me to take that out.

Security is a much more complex matter, agree with you.

H.A.

The liquid by itself is innocent, BUT if you mix different liquids you can make a bomb, this almost happened and since then liquids are limited to 100ml.

Why do you think a mother with 6 month old child is less suspect than an Arab looking guy with a beard?

I am surprised that the majority on this forum is putting commercial pressure before safety.
You preach minimum security, and at the same time you condem pilots who fly with minimum legal fuel, strange...

[Pocahontas]

So nice I could turn this discussion around! Indeed we should support Belgian economy ourselves!

Now they only need to admit that those checks are foolish!

[Inquirer]

IATA reportedly agrees with the inutility of security checks prior to entering the terminal as they simply create unsecured masses of people standing together (in the open!) and thus form an easy new target.

http://www.tijd.be/politiek_economie/be ... 1461696832

I think the pressure is slowly mounting to halt these checks and replace them by 'something else': maybe when the terminal re-opens? Any news on that yet, btw? I've read that they will soon have a day during which staff and victims (and their relatives) can visit the renovated facilities.

[ostair]

Why do you think a mother with 6 month old child is less suspect than an Arab looking guy with a beard?

I am surprised that the majority on this forum is putting commercial pressure before safety.
You preach minimum security, and at the same time you condem pilots who fly with minimum legal fuel, strange...

Agree with you.
Flying on my own to the UK and I get stopped by customs.
Travelling with wife and child and there is no problem.

Have the impression that our neighbours are the only ones who benefit from the problems at BRU.
Instead of promoting the Belgian regional airports, its better that traffic goes out of Belgium.
As we don't like a growing regional airport...

[Passenger]

Tony Tyler, IATA's director-general and CEO was in Brussels today.

Just one quote from his speech - very on topic here:

"...I want to make special mention of our colleagues at Brussels Airlines, Brussels Airport and all the carriers who worked tirelessly to reconnect Europe’s capital to the world. Your impressive team effort has done our industry proud in demonstrating that terrorism will not defeat the values of a free and open society. And that is the best tribute that we can pay to the memories of the victims of that terrible day..."

http://www.iata.org/pressroom/speeches/ ... 04-01.aspx

[Flanker2]

IATA has no official mandate anywhere, it's just an association of airlines who gets money from airlines and airports, incidentally also SN and BRU. Obviously, they are going to stand behind them.

IMO SN and especially BRU have done and are continuing to do a mediocre job at recovering from the attacks.

SN's luggage check-in facilities in Brucargo are great. That should have been operational the first day they restarted flights from BRU. They have 3000 people on staff, many of whom were staying home doing nothing.
This manpower could have been used to erect temporary facilities.

Also, I have the pleasure to share some pics of my mediocre experience of departing from BRU.
Also, the queue was a full hour, not 30 minutes as some here are suggesting. The stairs are not too bad, except if you are 60+, have been standing outside in 5°C temperatures for over an hour, been through checks, check-in and 3 tents and paid over 30 Euro's to do so and have to carry your hand luggage.

The very moment I climbed that staircase, a 80+ woman was offered help by co-passengers to go up the stairs. They were holding her arm and her stuff.
If you are a firefighter in your 20's who is paid to climb those stairs, sure it's no big deal.

No BRU staff, no SN staff anywhere.

Seriously guys, if you haven't been through a departure haven't paid the 30+ euro's to stand in that cold queue like a pack of cattle for over an hour with your luggage, you can't say that it's nothing.

SN26557, I know what you mean but one has to ask why we should be patriotic when we are being let down by our own country? I had the same opinions several pages back, but having caught a cold standing in that line with outside temperatures of 8°C as a paying passenger, I will avoid BRU whenever possible in the future, as a customer who has received a bad service.

BRU can do much better and provide a much better service but they seem perfectly happy with what they have.

[Passenger]

IATA has no official mandate anywhere, it's just an association of airlines who gets money from airlines and airports, incidentally also SN and BRU. Obviously, they are going to stand behind them.

You've posted some strange posts here as NCB or as flanker or as Flanker2, but this one really gets in the top-3. If the above is indeed your opinion about IATA, it actually proofs you have no idea what's going on in aviation and travel.

This one of course also appears in your top-3:

IMO SN and especially BRU have done and are continuing to do a mediocre job at recovering from the attacks.

[avroflyer_1]

They have 3000 people on staff, many of whom were staying home doing nothing.
This manpower could have been used to erect temporary facilities.

This piece what you write there Flanker really angers me, ... The people who are at home doing nothing according to you are there because they are recovering either physically or mentally from the attacks so it's not a fun time they are going through!

Shame on you... really

By the way do you really believe that AMS, CDG or any other airport would deliver a better service in the same circumstances? having staff helping pax up the stairs and waiting at every corner to assist you in times when a lot of staff is still @ home or in the hospital recovering ? If you do believe that it's time to wake up and go back to reality.

The situation is far from perfect but they have to cope with the resources that they have available and from the feedback that I get from our guests they do so pretty well.

[Charlie Roy]

With many flights due to be re-established next week at BRU (Ryanair, Jetair, Vueling, Easyjet, Aer Lingus, SAS, Iberia, etc) and with a many booked out flights next Wednesday night and Thursday morning given the public holiday on Thursday, will BRU be ready?

[OO-ITR]

They have 3000 people on staff, many of whom were staying home doing nothing.
This manpower could have been used to erect temporary facilities.

This piece what you write there Flanker really angers me, ... The people who are at home doing nothing according to you are there because they are recovering either physically or mentally from the attacks so it's not a fun time they are going through!

Shame on you... really

By the way do you really believe that AMS, CDG or any other airport would deliver a better service in the same circumstances? having staff helping pax up the stairs and waiting at every corner to assist you in times when a lot of staff is still @ home or in the hospital recovering ? If you do believe that it's time to wake up and go back to reality.

The situation is far from perfect but they have to cope with the resources that they have available and from the feedback that I get from our guests they do so pretty well.

Once more Flanker shows that he doesn't have an idea what he is talking about.
He should have googled it this time. Maybe he would have had accurate information THIS time

[sn26567]

Gentlemen, could you please play the ball (and answer to the comments) rather than the player?

[Passenger]

Gentlemen, could you please play the ball (and answer to the comments) rather than the player?

It's hard to do, when someone posts ugly stuff like this:

IMO SN and especially BRU have done and are continuing to do a mediocre job at recovering from the attacks.

[Poiu]

Gentlemen, could you please play the ball (and answer to the comments) rather than the player?

It would help a lot if you just delete all the posts in which the man is played.
In soccer the most beautiful goal is invalid if there was a fault. Deleting entire posts, without any favoritism, is the only way of keeping this forum civilised and worth a visit.

[sn-remember]

Let me concur to the wise words of T. Tyler CEO of IATA :
" Extending the security perimeter, as some have suggested, is not the solution. Look at what the pre-screening has done at Brussels Airport. It’s created large and dense crowds that could be targeted. Not to mention the huge inconvenience to people who want to travel. (..)
The focus surely has to be a return to normality as soon as possible. And by normality I mean ensuring that the airport doesn’t have artificial restrictions on its capacity just to reduce the queues. People want and need to travel. Normality means meeting that demand."

Those who decide such extensive security measures are overreacting IMO. They are opening political umbrellas protecting their position and making believe they are acting with sense. Wether the place is secure is debatable, but what is sure is that it's commercially untenable .
Also at crl I don't understand the measures taken ... Why should they separate the arrival s from the departure flows ? Why do they forbid (are they still ?) access to the car parking nearby ? As well as dropping people&luggage in front of the terminal ? What's the problem ? Is it still forbidden ?
It all makes no sense , really.

Airports struggle in a very competitive environment, they have to outperform the competitors offering to survive, here they are doing the opposite .. no way it can work !

[sn26567]

With many flights due to be re-established next week at BRU (Ryanair, Jetair, Vueling, Easyjet, Aer Lingus, SAS, Iberia, etc) and with a many booked out flights next Wednesday night and Thursday morning given the public holiday on Thursday, will BRU be ready?

According to Raphaël Meulders in La Libre Belgique, the departures hall could reopen next Monday (2 May). Florence Muls, spokeswoman for Brussels Airport, doesn't confirm, nor deny, saying the airport is almost ready to resume operations, but is waiting for a green light from the police (and that's not a gift!) and from the Directorate-General of Air Transportation.

Prior to the reopening there will also be a private visit for the families of the victims.

Anyway, there WILL be a control of the baggage BEFORE entering the departure hall, in a new provisional structure in front of the hall.

http://www.lalibre.be/economie/actualit ... a2d4ea6928